Summer: flower spikes at full height
From June to August, torch lilies open their flower spikes, draw in insects and hold colour through the warm months.
Summer is the flowering season. Spikes stand tall above the leaf fans, and the colours run from red and orange through to yellow and cream, depending on the kinds growing in the clump. Each spike opens from the bottom upward, so one spike can be in bloom at its base while the top is still in bud.
- June
- Spikes lengthen quickly, and the lowest florets open first. Bees and other insects visit the open lower florets on warm, still days. Keep the soil moist while flowers form, without letting it turn wet and sour.
- July
- Most clumps are at their strongest now. Spikes may lean or bend after rain or wind. A short stake set beside a spike can help, but tie it loosely so the stem is not bruised.
- August
- Lower florets fade to brown, and the upper buds open last. Spikes that are past their best can be cut back. Seed capsules begin to form at the base of the oldest spikes.
What to look for
- Florets opening from the base of the spike, with buds still closed above
- Spikes that lean after rain, which usually stand again as they dry
- Leaves that stay green and upright through hot weather
- Brown leaf tips, which can show dry soil or heat stress
Jobs for the season
- Water a newly planted clump at the base during dry spells, aiming at the soil rather than the spikes.
- Deadhead by cutting spent spikes back to the leaf fan once most of the florets have faded.
- Leave a few spikes to set seed if you want seed capsules in autumn.
Summer is also the time to notice where the clump has room. A plant crowded by its neighbours or shaded by taller plants often produces thinner spikes. Note that for later, because the work of autumn depends on how the clump has grown through the warm months.